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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · bay · pound · calf · content · branch · foot · hide

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. content — happy
  15. hand — help
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. branch — a division
  21. pound — a weight
  22. hand — in cards
  23. content — the amount
  24. hide — animal skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com